Isaiah 29:17-24

English Standard Version

¹⁷Is it not yet a very little while
    ^(A)until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,
    and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?
¹⁸In that day ^(B)the deaf shall hear
    ^(C)the words of a book,
and out of their gloom and darkness
    ^(D)the eyes of the blind shall see.
¹⁹^(E)The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
    and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
²⁰For the ruthless shall come to nothing
    and ^(F)the scoffer cease,
    and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,
²¹who by a word make a man out to be an offender,
    and ^(G)lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,
    and with an empty plea ^(H)turn aside him who is in the right.

²²Therefore thus says the Lord, ^(I)who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

“Jacob shall no more be ashamed,
    no more shall his face grow pale.
²³For when he sees his children,
    ^(J)the work of my hands, in his midst,
    they will sanctify my name;
^(K)they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob
    and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
²⁴And those ^(L)who go astray in spirit will come to understanding,
    and those who murmur will accept instruction.”

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2 Corinthians 3:4-11

English Standard Version

⁴^(A)Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ⁵^(B)Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but ^(C)our sufficiency is from God, ⁶who has made us sufficient to be ^(D)ministers of ^(E)a new covenant, not of ^(F)the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but ^(G)the Spirit gives life.

⁷Now if ^(H)the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory ^(I)that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, ⁸will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? ⁹For if there was glory in ^(J)the ministry of condemnation, ^(K)the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. ¹⁰Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

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Mark 7:31-37

English Standard Version

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

³¹^(A)Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to ^(B)the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the ^(C)Decapolis. ³²And they brought to him ^(D)a man who was deaf and ^(E)had a speech impediment, and they begged him to ^(F)lay his hand on him. ³³And ^(G)taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and ^(H)after spitting touched his tongue. ³⁴And ^(I)looking up to heaven, ^(J)he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” ³⁵^(K)And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. ³⁶And ^(L)Jesus^[a] charged them to tell no one. But ^(M)the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ³⁷And they were ^(N)astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”